SBDEFT: Scrumban Driven Engagement Framework for Testing

SBDEFT: Scrumban Driven Engagement Framework for Testing

Overview

Business objectives in the contemporary scenario aim at quick realization of business value that is efficient, sustainable, predictable and high quality. Hence, just-in-time processes with continuous improvement and short lead times have become crucial. And whereas popular agile methodologies like Scrum and Kanban can individually help achieve some of the above mentioned objectives and processes, combining the best of both can be an apt solution. It ensures increased flexibility, transparency and a higher throughput. However, this demands right resources and technologies.

And outsourcing has provided the state of the art advantages to enterprises with outspread resource capabilities and contemporary technologies in place. Moreover, internet facilities have helped to fill up the need for physical presence, monitoring, communication and collaboration barriers. This has resulted in incremental software development process with shorter release cycles.

To fully achieve these benefits, a framework is required that can deliver the benefits of both the approaches in a pioneering way in an outsourced context.

At Astegic, we offer you a viable sourcing ecosystem composed of streamlined QA and software testing processes enabling effective collaboration and communication among distributed teams across different time zones. Using our time-tested techniques, we have created an agile engagement framework imbibing the benefits of both Scrum and Kanban- Scrumban.

Scrumban is a hybrid approach where Scrum is employed as a chosen way of working with Kanban acting as a lens to view, understand and continuously improve that work. The outcome is an enhanced product with rounds of quality testing, faster feedback and quick changes in an efficient manner. We have applied this framework to our QA engagement process, addressing the common pitfalls that offshore models present.

SBDEFT (Scrumban Driven Engagement Framework for Testing) uses a blend of both SDEFT and KDEFT methodologies. It combines the basic features of Scrum with high level of organization, while also offering the flexibility of Kanban with WIP limits that assist in reducing the amount of tasks to be worked on at one time.

Figure 1 – Stages in Scrumban

SBDEFT uses JIRA Scrumban board to track and organize all the projects. Custom boards are developed using sprint concept of Scrum along with imbibing the flexibility of Kanban. The board provides an easy view of the process workflow. The basic board is composed of three columns: To do, Doing and Done, but depending on the project requirements, we add blockers, stories backlog, sub-ticketing backlog, QA, Production, and other components.

SBDEFT ensures that the team continually tracks the backlog, and limit themselves through the use of WIP limits mentioned on the task board but also allows for adjustments, as required, to streamline the workflow. It ensures smooth process flow, and through feature freeze and task prioritization, the real business value is achieved within short time. The blockers are identified, and lead and cycle time is continuously tracked to ensure timely completion of the tasks for release.

SBDEFT follows the principle of Kaizen and ensures greater predictability around the work delivery with greater transparency and real-time communication where scrumban boards acts as a single point to truth for all the teams.

SBDEFT ensures higher focus on QA as it saves time on planning through the ‘planning on demand approach’, and minimizes waste by eliminating anything that is not adding value to the customer.

Figure 2– A Test Execution Chart in Scrumban

Figure 3– Functional Testing in SBDEFT

Figure 4 – Scrumban board is the single source of truth for the team's work

Figure 5 – Test Execution Details

Benefits

SBDEFT delivers significant client-benefits that include some of the following:

The best of both Scrum and Kanban approaches improves the workflow and throughput, and the final product quality

Increased overall efficiency of the project through waste minimization, less documentation and on-demand planning

Work demand from all sources are visualized on a common platform ensuring greater transparency

Application of the principle of Kaizen (continuous improvement) with short lead time and task prioritization ensuring quick releases and better quality. Teams get the power to adapt and change as per stakeholder and production needs

High effectiveness for projects with frequent and unexpected user stories or programming errors and with sprint team focused on new product development

Enhanced reliability of forecasting with improved scalability across larger enterprises

Reduced risk of not meeting business needs through Lead time SLAs and defined class of services policies

About Astegic

Astegic is a US-based Quality Assurance (QA) company with its offshore global delivery center in India. For 15 years, Astegic has been helping Fortune 500 through startup companies with their Testing & QA needs. With our in-depth experience across a wide range of industries, our clients receive innovative and best-in-class service and solutions. We offer near 24/7 rapid service from both Astegic’s US and India based testing operations.